National Republican., 1887-03-11
NATIONAL EDUCATION.
SPEECH or SENATOR HENRY W. BLAIR
ON THE SUBJECT.
Competition Between tho North and
South - National Aid to Education
Alone is Protection to Labor and
Capital. Especially in the North

The senate oil the United states, on Mar.
2. having under consideration the bill maxi
ing appropriations for the naval service OF
the United States for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1888, and for other purposes. Sen.
ator Blair spoke as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: For about six thousand
years the human race has been engaged In the
science and the art Of war, which Is simply the
prosecution OF those methods by which human
beings can best destroy each other. The chief
burdens that mankind have borne and that
now overload civilization are the results OF this
tendency to war and IL has seemed TO mo-
confess, that if the millennium which we are
accustomed to believe in is not an absolute
myth, q nation like our own with sixty mil.
lions of the most highly civilized people that
developing, II may be for the first time In the
records of history, might set to the world the
example OF an effort TO settle the controversies
which arise between nations without resorting
to the destructive arts OF butchery.
For one, though vote all that Is asked, 1t Is
with great reluctance that support these bills
which call for such enormous expenditures
purely In contemplation of conflicts which arc
hardly proper TO enunciate, and which II Is
certainly not popular to enunclate, yet l still
think the American people need do very little
in the way OF preparing Tor actual war
l believe that this nation is great enough
and strong. enough In its intellectual and
moral worth and character to defy the possi-
DllltN vi huy COnnltt ny hDDthliIR W tlt nttlbe
of justice Of the world, and that refusing to en-
gage in warfare from this day forth we might
initiate an era which. Il not absolute peace at
once, would result within II short period In
the elimination of wars from among civilized
nations. and the great wars OF the world have
only been those among civilized nations, for
only those are capable OF a comprehensive
concentration of effort which makes great
While suppose that we are sure to have
some expenditure IN this direction. would he
A.xl
pendlture to what may be strictly called ma.
tional defense. / would not willingly vote TO
appropriate single dollar which / thought
would induce this nation under any circum-
stances, even Of great provocation, TO engage
in anything like aggressive war.
But the expenditure for war of defensive
character, the construction Of vessels, the
making OF great guns, the development OF new
agencies of destruction by modern inventions,
such as dynamite, nitroslycerine, and many
others, will require, of co,iis";lnrge amounts,
and am willing 70 vote somsthing, only bs-
dilures will be simply in the way of defense.
think, too, that Ii this be done. 1t is very
proper that measures be taken TO secure the
expenditure in such way In different parts of
the country as to give to all of our people the
advantage of the expenditure Of the public
funds in their own vicinity. l do not know
but there can be no doubt that the claim OF our i
friends from the southern country that labor
is cheaper there that raw materials which
may be used in the construction of these ves-
sells, or these great guns are cheaper there
there can be no doubt say that this claim Is
true, and II these conditions were to continue,
! have no doubt that in the not remote future
the industries and the labor of the north would
find themselves suffering from form Of COM
petition greater than that which We are likely
to suffer from, even from the repeal OF our
protective tariff, aud by the Introduction of
Chinese labor to our shores without limit or
stint to any degree whatever
The war between the nation and the south
ern states was conflict between systems of
industrial production. Ono system secured to
the wage. .laborer high returns for his toll and
to the Individual producer high prices for his
commodity. The other system laid the CON-
mon lnborer the scant necessaries OF life, Just
enough to create and preserve him as profit.
able animal or an efficient machine, while the
entire product as well as the plant OF fixed,
circulating, and living capital was owned by
These two systems collided in Kansas aud
the war which followed abolished the forms OF
slavery, retaining. much of its power, because
the ignorance which made slavery possible
ont of its degradation was neither removed
nor seriously dimished.
More than twenty years have now elapsed
since peace was restored, during which long
reriod considerable progress has been made in
the south in the diversiIicati0n Of industrle,
and OF production and in the increase OF gen
eral intelligence. A corresponding increase o
compensation has resulted 10 all laboring men
whether wageworkers or producers with sm al
capital of their own, aud some advancement!
hes been made.
arc now being coustan ly bought up by the
capital of the north and of other countries
Already the southern market for many forms
0i goods once furnished from the north OF
Europe as well as for agricultural production.
and raw materials Is being supplied, as 4
should be, NJ home. More than this, the south
is already invading the northern and north
western markets and Is competing for trade
with production ofwhich the highly paid labor
and capital of the north Is the chief element.
Foreseeing the inevitable. Northern capital
and Investments are seeking the south, where
with labor OF all kinds. agricultural. mechan-
ical, and operative. skilicdaud unsktlled, upon
an average not more than one'half or two
thirds Ss high when paid In actn i money ol
In commodities ut cash prices rs in the north
the profits of their new location Will replace
depreciation and losses which are impending
to their Investments ut home.
1t Is safe TO predict that within ten years
unless new and important factors are combined
| with existing conditions, the productions @
the south, aft fully supplying their own, will
| compete In northern markets with most of th'
commoditlns which now are the chief prOduc
tion OF the old free states at prices so low as u
make 1t a matter Of Indifference to norther,
labor whether the protective tariff against th
| products of "foreign pauper labor be remove;
or continued or even whether Chinese or for
| eign contract labor be longer excluded from
| our shores.
The farm laborers and operatives of botl
| races In the south are rapidly acquiring tn
| skill required to equal that Of corresoondin,
classes at the north. While the fact tina
women and children are more generally en-
ployed, and that all work more hours than a
The north enables given population II o
equal intelligence and skill to produce NOR
for time at least than the same numba
could under the more liberal treatment o
manual workers in the old free labor states.
The south contains very nearly, perhap
fully, oRe.half the natural resources of tn,
whole country, and Is certainly capable o
~ II, I,
next quarter Cfa century than the north an
| further west. Already she has more than one
third the entire population OF the Union. He
rate OF natural Increase is equa! TO that of tn
moth with our advantage by reason of EN-
grafton, while this advantage even Is paSsin
away as the capabilities OF the south are be
coming better known.
Tho two principal facts to be uOted are these
That the average cash compensation for labo
at the south Is not more than one-half or two
thirds the amount paid Tor the same at th
north, and that capital. cognizant Of this fact
and of the superior resources, facilities, an
| capabilities of the south, is already rushin
there from all directions as hemost promlsin
field for permanent investment In active pro
! duction.
on the 10Th day of the month of November
1856, was in North Carolina and ascertaine
the wages paid 10 the men who had charge G
the yard work atan important railroad statloa
ard to section men and common laborers. Tn
foreman received the highest pay OF any Oh
| IN the yard, Whioh was VI day cash or
check on the bank, including Sabbath, or ~
per month boarding himself, while the sectlo
men received 30 cents and board, making abOu
20 cents per diem. Good farm hands work 10
sc per month.
| Ihave here slip. which have verified to
large extent, from gentleman who writes I
the editor Of the Pres, OF Philadelphia
CoLoRED LABOR AT THE souTH-THE WAGE
PAID TO THE HANDS ON VIRGINIA PLANrA
TloN.
To the Editor of the Press-Sir: read ever
few days In the Record and TtHeS of PhilGdel
phia that the negro iaborer receives as muc
i'll wages NJ the south as north. Now, WIS
to say If they mean the mrn who work on III
taims and plantations receive rs much, | be
TO state 1t is not So. / own two plantations |
Virginia, about US good as any, ana hav
men who iutm them on shares They pAA
and never knew any other parties TO pay, bl
accents a day and Iations. The IatiOns consist
tiheen pounds of bacon and bushel and
hal of coTnmeal a month, and even at 10 cen
n day they do not have steady work. Now,